Endoscopes are well-known in the medical arts and are commonly used for numerous medical procedures. One such procedure is removing sutures from the inside of a human subject, such as from the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. One conventional technique for removing sutures is using a cutting tool in an endoscopic procedure.
Known cutting devices in the art have one or two jaws which pivot relative to a base. The jaw may be pivoted by a user operating a handle at a proximal end of the device and at a proximal location outside of the endoscope. Serious complications may arise during suture removal procedures when the jaws of the cutter become stuck, either in an over-closed position or in an over-opened position.